Driver: San Fran dev Ubisoft Reflections suffers layoffs
The usual Monday blues are even bluesier today at Ubisoft Reflections, as the UK-based studio has suffered job cuts. Develop reports that as many as 19 employees could be dismissed from the group that is currently developing (the recently delayed) Driver: San Francisco. Ubisoft Montreal will now fill the role of "associate studio" on the project and offer support going forward.
An undisclosed source told Develop that the layoffs were wide-reaching, affecting higher-ups as well as contract workers. Additionally, the source cited "delays with the project" as one of the reasons for the redundancies, suggesting that the studio's lack of experience with the current generation of consoles (this is its first current-gen game, after all) has become exceedingly costly. The source claimed Reflections has been "learning as we go along, developing our skills."
An Ubisoft representative characterized the cuts as part of a reorganization, insisting that "Reflections is crucial as a studio" and that there are no plans to shutter the operation entirely following Driver's expected launch early next year. The spokesperson assured that Reflections "will absolutely keep going after Driver."
